A Love Potion Disaster
by SSdramaqueenHG
Summary: Cormac McLaggen couldn't believe it – Hermione Granger wasn't in love with him! But what caps it all – she humbled him in front of the whole Gryffindors! Of course as "clever" as he was he soon had an idea how he could take his revenge. What a surprise it all ended in a disaster…
1. Prologue

_Just a short info: In this story Cormac is in the same school year as Harry, Hermione and Ron. Furthermore, there is a basic potion class (which students like Cormac and Neville attend) and a advanced potion class (which students like Hermione, Draco attend).  
_

* * *

**Prologue**

Lesson was boring as usual. The bat was standing in front of the class issuing some instructions for the new potion they were going to brew. Sitting in the last row he had a perfect view of the storeroom. Its door was ajar, so it was possible to see the shelves, on which hundreds of potions and ingredients were standing. If he could trust Padma, there would be a cauldron full of Amortentia, too. The whole plan would fail if she was wrong! He couldn't deny that he was a little bit nervous. At least he was going to trick Severus Snape – Mr. Meany in person! If he noticed him, he would be dead!

"Are there any further questions?" Snape asked looking daggers at his students. As an answer some of the students shook their heads. "Fine, so what are you waiting for? Off you go!"

A nasty sound filled the room when the chairs were hastily scratched over the ground. Cormac waited till the first classmates entered the storeroom and Snape turned his back on them to write something on the board before he stood up and reached for Neville's seat. The clumsy boy was the perfect victim. Nobody would be surprised if his cauldron exploded. Fishing for the exploder he kept his eyes glued to the bat, but he was still busy. In the next moment a deafening bang ranged out. The boy jumped aside and noticed how the whole class was running out of the storeroom to find out what happened.

"You idiot!" Snape shouted at Neville who stood speechlessly in front of his cauldron which was seething now.

While his classmates were watching how Neville got a slating, Cormac sneaked to the storeroom. At the farthest end of the room he found what he was searching for. The flavor of his hair wash mixed with some other good-smelling reached his nose. "Finally I brought home the bacon!" he thought triumphantly and got a phial out of his pocket.

"What are you doing in the storeroom, Mr. McLaggen?"

He started with fright and spun around when he suddenly heard Snape's voice. So he didn't notice that an ingredient of the upper shelf fell into the Amortentia.

"Eh…nothing Sir", he said hastily and dunked the phial into the potion.

"Wrong answer, Mr. McLaggen!" the bat hissed approximately.

While putting the small bottle back into his pocket he ran to the door. "I'm sorry Sir, I…just looked for my wand…but I couldn't find it", he stumbled.

Snape raised his eyebrows angrily. "10 points from Gryffindor because of lying to a teacher", he said pointing at the wand which was just visible in Cormac's jacket pocket.

He hanged his head pretending to feel down, but a flashing smile proved him a liar. To his pity Snape noticed it. "And 15 points from Gryffindor because of having no respect!"

He didn't care that his housemates were groaning losing 25 points within a minute. He had the potion everything else was unimportant!

While he and the other students went out of the room, he was chafing his hands. It was working! Now he could take his revenge!


	2. Chapter 1 - A miss is as good as a mile

_Thanks for reading, your reviews and follow, favorite my story! I'm glad you like it.  
_

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**Chapter 1: ****"A miss is as good as a mile."**

She couldn't believe it – he had done it again! That dipstick had kissed her right in front of the whole Gryffindors!

How many times did she tell him that she isn't interested in him? How many slaps did he need to understand that she doesn't even like him?

Frustrated she kicked her bag in the corner of her bedroom. She was sick of it! Cormac McLaggen was such a brat!

While putting her Transfiguration book on her desk she was trying to calm down. Anger was the last thing she was in need of to do her homework. _The Transfiguration of a bird into a clock is a difficult task because it takes a lot of focus and competence._

"That was the answer to her problem!" it crossed her mind. "If she transforms Cormac into a clock, she would be rid of him."

"But you would also break school rules", her inner sensible voice objected.

"You made a point there", she sighed.

A gentle knock on the door let her startled. Being irritated she raised her head and looked at the door: "Who is it?"

"Hi", Ginny opened the door a tiny crack and peeked through the ajar door. "Do you like to talk?"

"No, but come in", Hermione groaned.

"How are you?" her best friend asked while entering the room and sitting on her bed.

"I can't get rid of that bad taste in my mouth", she answered grimacing as if she had to vomit.

"I feel really sorry for you, if he had tried to kiss me – well, actually I think I would have killed him!" Ginny said reaching for Crookshanks, who was lying on the pillow to cuddle him.

"I hope that he understood my slap this time", Hermione told the redhead visualizing the moment, when she had boxed his ear.

"That slap was genius!" Ginny assured, "the whole house is talking about it and laughing about Cormac. Everybody feels sorry for you."

"Thanks", Hermione smiled at her. "Have Harry and Ron really dunked his head into the toilet?"

"They tried, but McGonagall caught them out before they were able to put it into action," she answered.

"What a pity... but they hadn't got detention had they?" she wanted to know.

"No, she was gracious. Just some points," she calmed her. "I'm relieved to hear that, it would had caped it all off if they had."

"Are you coming with me to the great hall? I'm hungry and dinner will be dished up in a few minutes?" Ginny suddenly wanted to know looking at her watch.

"Cormac won't be there, will he?" Hermione asked having doubts whether she should run risk or not meeting that brat.

"I believe not, he has nerve if he dares," Ginny guessed standing up. "Are you coming?"

"No risk no fun," Hermione gave in and followed her friend out.

The great hall was already full of hungry students waiting for their dinner, and, fortune smiled on Hermione, Cormac wasn't amongst them.

They joined the boys which were sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table. "Hermione, I'm glad to see that you are still alive!" Harry claimed clearing space for Ginny who took a seat next to him.

"Of course, I am," Hermione rolled her eyes. "But thanks, that you wanted to take revenge for me."

"If McGonagall hadn't interrupted us, Cormac would have shared the girl's restroom with the Moaning Myrtle now," Ron said.

"I guess Myrtle would have loved that," Ginny supposed. They laughed, but then they noticed a blond tall boy entering the hall.

"He really dares!" Ginny uttered. "Just wait!" the boys grunted and stood up, when Hermione stopped them.

"Never mind", she said waving her hand. "He isn't worth it!"

Still flashing their eyes at Cormac they sat back down. The blond boy went to the other end of the table and took a seat next to his friends.

"Just ignore him", Hermione asked for and was happy that the dinner was dished up in that moment.

After dinner Hermione decided to go into the library to finish her homework. However, Ginny and the boys went to the Quidditch pitch to train. Just a few others were doing their homework, when she entered. She sat down next to the window and was totally sunk in her books, when a shadow fell onto her.

"Oh, hi Colin, what can I do for you?" she wanted to know.

"Well, it's just...", the young boy stumbled hiding something behind his back.

"Just...?" Hermione tried to help him.

"I just want to say thank you, because you helped me by my potion essay", he said and held a present out to her.

"Oh, that's so sweet of you, Colin, thank you. You shouldn't have!" she answered smiling and took it off his hands.

It was a small bottle filled with sweet cherry juice.

"Hope you like it", he explained blushing. "It's a special juice, very delicious. It's a secret recipe of my granny."

"I love it", she assured, "thanks again."

"I wonder if you could try it now, so I could tell her you liked it?" he asked shyly.

"Sure", she agreed and uncorked the bottle. A sweet flavor mixed with a faint flavor of tangy herbs reached her nose. She liked that smell, it reminded her of something but she couldn't say what it was.

Hermione transformed her quill into a drinking glass and filled it half with the juice. She nipped at it and turned up her mouth in disgust. "Interesting taste", she muttered feeling suddenly a little bit muddled.

"It's too sour, isn't it?" Colin asked knowingly and got out some lump of sugar out of his pocket. "Try it with these ones." He put them in the glass, but before Hermione could taste it again, her friends entered the room.

They were exhausted and sweaty because of their hard Quidditch training. "Thank God, something to drink!" Ron yelled relieved and emptied the glass in one gulp without even asking.

At first nothing happened, but then his face went red and a huge smile played on his lips.

"Where is he?" he wanted to know looking around.

Cormac, who was hiding the whole time behind a book shelf, jumped with fright. This was going totally wrong – that idiot drunk the Amortentia!

"Where could he be?" Ron wondered approaching Cormac's hide-out.

"Who are you talking about?" the others wanted to know who were confused.

"Professor Snape – who else?" he answered assuming an amorous expression.


	3. Chapter 2 - It never rains but it pours

_Thanks again for reviews, reading, favoriting my story! Just feel free to give me feedback!  
_

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**Chapter 2: "It never rains but it pours." **

"Are you all right, Ron?" Harry asked worriedly.

"I've never felt any better", the red-head answered still smiling as if he saw paradise. "So, where is he?"

"Well, I guess he is in his office", Ginny said giggling. For her it was too ridiculous that her brother seriously asked where the bat could be.

"Thank you, you are a gem!", he explained and ran out of the room.

"What the hell is got into him?" Harry asked perplexedly.

"I don't know but it's going to be really funny", Ginny laughed, "let's go and see what he is going to do."

"Ginny, that's not funny!", Hermione said giving her a slap on her wist. "Colin, what was in the bottle?" But when she turned round the shy boy had vanished. "What's happening here?" she asked noticing that the bottle and the glass were gone, too.

"I have no idea, but we should go and check out what Ron is doing", Harry answered.

"You both go and check out, I'm looking for Colin. I wanted to know what he did in the bottle and why!" Hermione responded.

* * *

When Ginny and Harry reached the dungeons, Ron was just knocking on Snape's office door. "Are you there, honey?"

"He didn't actually say that, did he?", Ginny asked and let out a guffaw again.

"He is out of his mind!" Harry shouted and went to whip Ron away from the door, but it was too late.

The door opened and Snape's figure appeared in the door frame. "Mr. Weasley, what...", he wanted to know but was interrupted,when Ron sprang towards him to wrap his arms around him.

"I'm so glad to see you, darling", the boy said.

Snape was just in need of a moment before he recovered, then he dragged Ron to the ground. "What is got into you, Weasley?" he asked pointing his wand at him.

Ginny's laughter stuck in her throat, when suddenly she saw her brother on the ground. "No, please, Professor. He didn't know what he is doing. He's charmed", she begged going to Ron's rescue.

"Explain yourself," the potion master commanded angrily. "What did you do with your friend, Potter?"

"Nothing, Sir", Harry answered defiantly. "We were in the library, when he suddenly wanted to know where you are."

"Don't lie to me", Snape hissed. "That boy drunk love potion!"

"It must be in Hermione's glass", Ginny guessed keeping Ron from hugging Snape again.

"Honey, what's wrong with you?", the red-head boy mumbled and some tears ran down his face.

"Shut up, Weasley", Snape shouted irritatedly. "Bring him in my office, Mrs. Weasley. I'll have a look if I have some antidote."

"Let me go! I want to be with him!", Ron screamed trying to break free from Ginny. "Honey, help me!"

Snape breathed a sigh of relief, when the door closed behind them. Then he turned to Harry. "Did anybody else drink it?" he wanted to know harshly.

"I believe not, but I'm not sure if Hermione...", Harry said, but was interrupted. "Go and find her!", Snape yelled. "This isn't happening!"

Hermione definitively had not any explanation, why Colin did that. What was he up to? Poor Ron, if he finds Snape before her friends find him, he will go through hell!

* * *

"Do you know where Colin is?" she asked two Gryffindors in the corridor, who were perhaps about the same age as he.

"No, but he could be in the common room", one of the boys guessed and the other one agreed.

She thanked and followed their suggestion. She always believed that Colin was shy and when she thought of their second school year, where he had took every chance he could get to take a picture of Harry, a little bit obtrusive, but she never supposed that he was malicious. Gulping Gargoyles – why did he want her to fall in love with Snape? That didn't make a sense at all!

Finally she reached for the common room and went in. Just one person was inside and guessing what it was Colin! He was lying on the sofa and was sleeping. Word failed her, when she approached next to him. How could he fall asleep after all? She roused him rudely. "Colin, wake up! What were you thinking of?"

Slowly he opened his eyes and looked at her being totally confused. "Hermione? What's wrong?" he wanted to know sitting up.

"How would I know? It was your idea!", she said in disgust.

"What do you mean? Have I done anything wrong?", he asked being upset.

"Are you implying that you have got no idea, what happened the last half an hour?", Hermione questioned, who was still suspicious.

"All I could remember is that I was very tired after dinner and fell asleep right after I sat down on this sofa", he explained.

"So you can't remember to be in the library? Can you?", she asked. "No I can't", he confirmed. "You are also not able to remember that you gave me a bottle with the juice of your Granny?", she continued her questioning. He nodded. "My granny is already dead. She was a mean old lady and have never gifted me anything!"

"It just keeps getting better!", she sighed.

"Could you please inform me about what I was said to have done?", Colin asked.

"Of course", she said, but before she could go on, Harry came rushing in. "Hermione, here you are! Are you alright?"

"Sure, but what about Ron? Were you able to catch him before he could find Snape?" she answered.

"I'm afraid not, he called Snape his "honey", but that's not the point at the moment. Snape wants to see you and hedge his bets that you didn't drink some juice as well."

"Well, actually, I just drunk a drop, but I feel alright, so far", Hermione explained.

"Would you also come with me? He kills me if I come back without you", he asked.

"All right", she gave in and followed him leaving an totally confused Colin behind.

* * *

Right after the door shut behind them and Colin went upstairs, Cormac jumped out of his hideout. The worst has come to the worst! It was not just that Ron instead of Hermione drunk the potion, but also that it didn't work out!

Did he something wrong? He was sure that he followed the instructions giving in the Potion book, he found. So were was the mistake? More to the point - how could he come out of this safely?


	4. Chapter 3 - Like a bolt from the blue

_I'm so happy that you like my story, thanks for your nice reviews. I love feedback! _

_By the way the next chapter will be uploaded in two weeks because I go on holiday tomorrow.  
_

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**Chapter 3: "Like a bolt from the blue."**

For a moment he lost his composure. His whole office seemed to be a battlefield. No shelf was at its usual place but overthrown, the bottles and preserving jars, which were before inside of the shelves lay all over the floor being broken. Inside this mess were the siblings bickering with each other.

"Ron, stop it" Ginny yelled. "Your hurt me!"

But her brother didn't listen.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Snape screamed and right after that both teenagers weren't able to move.

"What the hell is going on here?" he asked and was foaming with anger. "How dare you to destroy my office? Fifty points from your house for both of you!"

"Honey..., I'm sorry, but my sister..." Ron tried to apologize, but was interrupted.

"Shut up!" Snape hissed and was on the point of jumping out of his skin. "I want absolute silence!"

But soon after he had said this, Ron started to sob uncontrollably and blubbered out: "I'm so sorry, please don't hate me! Please forgive me!"

"Please Sir, have a heart and silence him!" Ginny begged.

"Silencio", Snape said pointing his wand at Ron, who stopped crying immediately.

"That sounds much better", he sighed in relief pointing his wand at the mess now: "Scourgify. Reparo."

Snape watched how everything returned to its usual place and the pieces of broken glass united again. Then he went to his supply cabinet in the right corner of the room to have a look if he has got some antidote.

"The antidote I used is exhausted, but I have got all ingredients to brew a new one", he soliloquized.

"It will take me half an hour to brew a new antidote. I'll remove the charm now, Miss Weasley, to prevent that your physical feeling is deaden, but if your brother comes near to me, I won't guarantee for anything! Do you understand me?" he asked.

"Yes, Sir", Ginny nodded.

"Oh well, when Miss Granger arrives, tell her to come into the class room," he added before he removed the charm and left.

* * *

"Did you find out, why Colin did that?" Harry wanted to know while they were going to the dungeons.

"He could not remember that he was in the library. Actually, he told me that he fell asleep as soon as he had a seat on the sofa in the common room", Hermione answered.

"Do you believe him?" he asked.

"Yes, I do. There is no reason, why he should do that. It's no secret that I helped him by his potion essay", Hermione said.

"Are you inferring that somebody used him?" Harry wanted to know alarmingly.

"Yes, that's exactly what I think. In fact there are just three options", she agreed.

"Go on!" Harry requested curiously.

"Well, the first option is that he couldn't remember, because somebody used a memory charm to remove that memory. The second option is that he was forced by Imperius Curse. It might also be possible that somebody stole his identity, used Polyjuice Potion and gave Colin a sleeping potion. I think the last two are the most probable options."

"But who would do that and why?" Harry asked thoughtfully.

"I have no idea, but I won't rest till I find it out!" a resolved Hermione said.

They arrived at Snape's office and knocked at the door. Too their surprise Ginny was the one, who called them in.

"He has got beautiful eyes, hasn't he?" Ron asked his sister, when they came in. The siblings were sitting in front of the fireplace and Ron was looking dreamily in the flames.

"Very beautiful eyes ", Ginny agreed being at the end of her tether. "Hey, I'm so happy you are here now, he drives me crazy!"

"Where is Snape?" Harry wanted to know.

"He is in the class room brewing new antidote", Ginny answered. "Just where you mentioned it, he wants you to come in there, Hermione."

"All right", Hermione sighed, "see you then."

* * *

Vapor and flavor of herbs were pouring towards her, while entering the room. The potion master stooped over a cauldron turning his back on her.

She coughed slightly: "Sir?"

He turned round and it suddenly was all over for her. She couldn't tell why, but in that moment is look took her breath away. Shivers ran down her spine and her heart stopped beading for a second.

She had never seen him like this before. He was surrounded by a mysterious aura of darkness and at once she had the desire to look behind his curtain.

"Are you alright, Miss Granger? You are as white as a sheet", he asked raising his eye brows.

Another shiver ran down her spine, when she heard his deep reedy voice and for the first time she felt attracted by it.

"I am", she stumbled. "I mean – alright. I've never felt any better." She blushed when she realized that these were the same words, Ron had said some hours before. Was she poisoned? She had to, hadn't she?

"Potter told me you drunk the potion as well", Snape stated watching her reaction carefully.

"Well, it was just a drop, Sir. What could a single drop cause?", she said downplaying.

"It could cause a lot, so just to be on the safe side, I want you to drink the antidote as well", he answered and she had the feeling that he recognized that she was different.

"If there is need for it...", she responded. "There is", he hissed.

"Be yourself, Hermione! It's your teacher!" her inner sensible voice rebuked her.

She watched how the potion master filled up a ladle with the freshly brewed potion to put it in two glasses. The antidote looked disgusting, in fact it looked and smelled like fermented guts.

She retched, when he handed her one glass. "That's noisome!" she complained.

"Drink it!" Snape said relentlessly.

She closed her eyes and held her nose, while emptying the the glass in one gulp.

When she opened her eyes again, nothing has changed. She still has got this strange unusual feeling in his presence.

But Snape didn't notice it because he was already at the door to bring Ron the other glass with the antidote.

Although she knew that it was wrong, the feelings which prompted in her were new for her because she had never felt like this before and she liked them.

It was just a drop but it changed everything.


	5. Chapter 4-Where's a will,there's a way

_Thanks for all of your reviews! I always enjoy to read them! I know that my English isn't that good, so if there are any mistakes, please _

_feel free to correct me. Thanks in advance!  
_

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**Chapter 4: "Where's a will, there's a way."**

Come off it! His plan was genius, how could it fail? It was unbelievable.

Disgruntled Cormac walked up and down the lakeside kicking pebbles into the water. He had no idea what he could do to remedy the situation. There was no reasonable chance, was there?

Everything went totally wrong: Instead of Hermione that idiot Ron drunk the potion, instead of causing to fall in love with him the potion caused to fall in love with Snape. But why happened that? Had somebody else have his hand in it? But nobody could know.

He took out a piece of paper and unfolded it:

_Put a hair of the person who should be the one to fall in love with into the Amortentia._

_Shake the potion and then stir it twice. _

_Fill the Amortentia in a drink*_

_Administer the potion to the chosen one. _

_*don't use berry juice and above all no __cherry__ juice otherwise the person who drinks the potion will fall in love with the producer of the potion. _

"Shit! That was the reason why Ron fell in love with Snape, he used cherry juice! Damn footnote!" he thought angrily.

Luckily there was a small rest in the bottle, so he could try it again.

"Never say die", he thought. This time he will be successful!

* * *

_Hermione was in a classroom. It was dark and cold. Only a candle on the teacher's desk was providing some light._

_There was an eerie silence and all told produced a frightening atmosphere. She just wanted to be out of here._

_The girl tried to open the door but it was closed. She turned away and looked for another escape._

_The windows were covered with curtains; she parted them to find out on which floor she was and if it was possible to climb out of the window. When she watched out one of them, she guessed she was in the dungeons. Unfortunately, these windows were too small. Besides, she noticed that the sky was cloudy and it looked like a brewing storm._

_The girl started to despair. What the hell was going on?_

_Suddenly she had the odd feeling she was not alone. She held her breath and listened carefully. There was it again – someone was breathing just behind her! She panicked and turned round slowly._

_At first she could not see anyone but then her eyes made out a tall figure. It took her a second to realize that it was her potion teacher. _

_Hermione sighed with relief and was just about to apologize for being that late in his classroom, when he stepped forward._

_Now she was able to see him in the moonlight, which suddenly started to shine through one of the windows._

_There was desire in his eyes but what shocked her most was that she was attracted by him as well._

_Her throat felt constricted preventing her to say anything. He came closer backing her up against the next best wall._

_Hermione began to shiver, when his hands clasped her nape to kiss her._

* * *

Hermione woke up bathed in sweat. This was the third time she dreamed of Professor Snape. Each time he was on the point of kissing her.

She did not know why she had those nightmares and was obsessed by thoughts of him but she blamed the potion for this. Something had changed the effect. She could remember that Colin or the person who had impersonated him had put some sugar into the juice after she had tried it. But what was the real effect of the potion before it had been changed? That was a lot of food for thought for her and it drove her nearly mad that she could not find an answer.

Feeling down she stood up to have a shower. While the water flowed down her body, she was tormented by thoughts of Snape again. She could not get him out of her head. She dreaded to think of tomorrow. Tomorrow she would have her first lessons by him after what happened.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ginny asked cautiously while opening the bathroom door.

"Sure," she replied getting out of the shower and draping herself in a towel.

"But you don't look like that," her friend answered eyeing her suspiciously.

"Well, you are right," she sighed sitting down on the edge of the bathtub. "I had a terrible nightmare."

"Oh, I see," Ginny said taking a seat next to her. "Do you like to tell me about it?"

"Trust me you don't want to know," Hermione responded and began to towel down her hair.

"That worse?" the red-head wanted to know. "Much worse!" she answered sighing again.

"Sometimes it is better to talk about," Ginny interposed.

"Okay, if you really want to know, get ready for the worst!" Hermione caved in.

"I'm all ears," Ginny said curiously. "I dreamed of Professor Snape trying to kiss me."

"By Merlin's beard, you're kidding me, are you?" her friend shouted with surprise. "I wish I would", Hermione complained. "It's driving me mad!"

"But you drunk the antidote, didn't you?" Ginny asked confused.

"Of course I did, but it didn't work," she responded burying her face in her hands. "I don't know what to do!"

"You have to go to Madam Pomfrey or better still to Snape!" her friend advised. "I can't, that's embarrassing!"

"You have no other choice!" Ginny insisted. "I know", she sighed.


	6. Chapter 5 - The best is yet to come

_Hi guys, thanks for all your reviews! Hope you enjoy the next chapter. Feel free to feedback and to correct me!  
_

* * *

**Chapter 5: "The best is yet to come."**

Her stomach was rumbling while she and the others waited for Professor Snape's entrance. She did not feel this nervous for a long time. What would happen if she saw him again? Would she blush or the worst would she not be able to talk to him? She did not know and that almost killed her.

Finally, the door was dashed against the wall and the potion master rushed in. With a small wand's swing he unclosed the blackboard.

"Morning," he hissed turning his back against them to write something on the board.

While he was doing so, Hermione was trying to fight back the countless stimuli which flowed to her – his odour of herbs, his mystic aura, his dark eyes which had looked at her shortly, his... Her mind was taken over by him as soon as he had entered the room. It took all her strength to regain her composure. Fortunately, nobody noticed that she was out of it and when he turned round, she had recovered again.

"Today I want you to brew the '_Draught of Living Death_'," Snape said looking daggers at them. "You find the instructions on the board and the ingredients are as usual in the storeroom. I want you to work in silence and precisely."

To escape him for least a moment she was the first who went to the storeroom. She sighed with relief as soon as he was out of sight and tried to focus on the shelves to find the right ingredients. Of course she knew them by heart and there was no need for her to copy them like the others down at first.

"'_Sopophorous bean'_ – where are you?_"_ the girl whispered searching the right corner of the room for it.

"Here you are," Hermione burst out in triumph but before she could catch it, she got distracted by a cauldron at the bottom of one shelf. The flavour of herbs reached her nose and suddenly, Snape's face appeared on the surface of the potion. She was transfixed to the spot for a moment, not able to move or breathe.

"Are you all right?" Padma asked who just entered the room. Slowly she recovered. "Yes, I'm okay," Hermione muttered.

"Oh, I see, you discovered the Amortentia. I'd love to know why Snape has got one in his storeroom where everyone can see and even steal it," the black-haired stated.

"I've no idea," Hermione replied vacantly. "Strange – I can't smell anything. The last time I appeared to it, I was attracted by it. Maybe it start to lose its effect," Padma guessed shaking her head in astonishment.

"Could be," she answered grabbing hastily the required ingredients.

Even so she was pretending to be uninterested, her inside was in turmoil. Why did the Amortentia not exert a pull on Padma? Why did she smell Snape's odour and moreover, why did she saw his face on the surface? And why the hell has he some Amortentia in his storeroom where as Padma mentioned everyone could steal it? There was no doubt that someone stole some of the Amortentia to charm her. Now she was intent on talking with Snape after class.

It was a hard thing for her to concentrate on brewing the potion. While she prepared the ingredients, she tried to ignore Snape's present. Stupidly, he approached the one or other time to have a look at her doing. Moreover, to brew the '_Draught of the living Death_' was at least the most difficult task she have ever done in a potion lesson. Twice, she was just about to fail because the consistency of the potion was too thick and the colour too dark, but she had read some tricks she could use to recover the potion.

Finally, she managed it. Her potion looked like it was described in the book. At any other time she had loved to be the only one who did the perfect potion, but today she was shocked by the fact that everyone was watching her and her result. On that matter Snape was literally forced to come closer to her. He raised his eyebrows while checking her result and she tried to breathe as few as possible to withstand his attraction.

"Good work, Granger," he hissed and she was sure it was meant as a compliment. "Thank you, Sir," she replied and was relieved when the school bell started to ring.

* * *

While the others were leaving, she went to his desk. At first he did not take the blindest bit of notice of her and pretended to read some essays, but then he suddenly raised his head.

"What do you want from me?" he asked and seemed on edge.

"It is about the Amortentia accident some days ago, Professor," she said nervously.

"Go on", he answered pretending interest.

"Well, you gave me the antidote as a precaution...," she continued hesitantly.

"What is your point, Miss Granger? I don't have all day," Snape wanted to know eagerly.

"Sir, the antidote did not work, I mean, it worked by Ron, but not by me," she stumbled.

"Really? I can not see any symptoms that you are influenced by love potion, Miss Granger. So what is the problem?" he stated.

"I have those dreams and thoughts," she whispered blushing.

"Dreams? What kind of dreams?" he asked. "Dreams of you, Sir", she ejaculated with pain.

For a moment he just gazed at her, but then he said: "I see no reason why the potion did not work by you."

"But there have to be a reason!" Hermione interrupted him desperately.

"Do you call my potion brewing skills into question?" he asked threateningly.

"No, of course not, Sir", she replied hastily. "So what are you referring to?" he wanted to know.

"Can it...,I mean, could it be that someone stole some Amortentia out of your storeroom?" she ventured her guess carefully.

"Impossible, stop the nonsense! I won't stand for that, 15 points from your house for offending a teacher!" Snape shouted angrily and pointed at the door: "Leave!"

Deeply embarrassed she went out. She should have known better, as if Snape would ever help her! He hated her.

* * *

As soon as the girl left he reached to his storeroom. There was only one chance to steal the potion unknown to him - someone changed the effect. When he was forced to brew the Amortentia a week ago he had seen no other choice than to store it there. The flavour which reached his nose every time he get closed to it almost killed him, so it was impossible for him to leave it in his private rooms. He did not know why Albus need love potion and especially the strongest version, but he hated him for forcing him to brew it. The headmaster only knew too well why it was a torture for him.

He was surprised when he entered – he did not smell that painful flavour. Something was wrong. He cursed himself for being such a coward and avoiding the room for some days. Granger was right – there was no doubt.

He pulled out the cauldron from the shelf and backed off in the next moment.

"Merlin's beard!", he uttered. The face of Miss Granger had appeared on the surface for a second. There was definitely something wrong with the potion – something terribly wrong! But who did that and what did he?

The potion master took some samples of the potion before he cleared the cauldron.

* * *

Entering the common room Hermione was just about to cry when she noticed Ron, who took the stairs at a run.

"Ron, wait", she called, but he did not listen.

Frustrated she ran after him. She had to talk with him. Maybe he had those dreams, too. The girl could understand him. Everyone in Hogwarts knew that he had called Snape "honey" and nobody cared that he did that because he was influenced by love potion. Even his own house mates were bullying him. Ron had not left his room for days.

"Ron, please let me in!" she yelled while knocking at his door.

"Go, I don't want to see anyone!" he shouted back. But she stood pat.

Finally, he opened the door and let her in. "What do you want?" he asked.

"I'd like to talk, Ron. I drunk that potion, too", she answered.

"You drunk it? But why had you not any symptoms?", he wanted to know.

"I do not know, but although Professor Snape gave me the antidote,too, I have those dreams...", she explained.

"Dreams...?" he said questioningly. "Do you have them as well?" she asked hopefully.

"What kind of dreams? I have nightmares" he said.

"You have?" Hermione replied in relief. "They are disgusting, aren't they?"

"Of course they are, but why do you have nightmares? The others did not bother you and I can not remember that you called Snape ho.. - you know what I mean", he said.

"Oh I see", Hermione sighed - Ron was not talking about the same nightmares.

"So what are your nightmares about?" he pressed her on.

"Well, actually, I can't remember...", she stumbled looking at her watch hastily. "Oh, do you know what I have to go to my next lesson, now. See you." She jumped on her feet and rushed to the door before Ron could stop her.


End file.
